Injuries in the workplace occur frequently, overexertion being the leading cause. It involves pulling, pushing, throwing, carrying, or holding objects. Slips and falls are not far behind, representing almost 20% of workplace injuries. Employers incur the cost of compensation, legal fees, and disabling injuries. Every workplace requires a safety program that ensures workers continue to be productive without exposure to injuries.
Below are steps you can take to improve safety at your workplace.
Conduct regular safety inspections
Regular safety inspections at the workplace enable you to prevent potential injuries by replacing broken or malfunctioning equipment. Apart from tools and equipment, inspect floors for cleanliness to avoid slips and falls. Check the lights to ensure they all work and are properly fixed to prevent accidents such as electrocution. A commercial led lighting electrician can take care of all your lighting needs.
Encourage breaks and give additional support
Employees who work in a stressful environment carrying out overexerting tasks daily can get fatigued and other mental problems. Rest is essential to their health. Encourage them to take short stretching, tea, and food breaks.
Allow them to take vacations once in a while to get away from the work environment; this refreshes them and increases productivity. Apart from the physical aspect, incorporate therapy sessions to help them deal with mental stress.
Train employees
Jobs that pose potential injury risks require that all employees get adequate training. New employees, especially, must receive training on how to operate various machines. It is equally important that they familiarize themselves with the environment, dress appropriately, and learn safety procedures. Conduct training on fire drills and let employees know where emergency exits are.
Provide employees with written instructions to remind themselves whenever they are unsure of tasks or forget parts of training. Make it your responsibility to supervise all training programs and ensure all employees attend.
Encourage open communication
Conduct regular meetings with your employees to discuss matters regarding safety and health. Encourage them to speak openly on safety issues that concern them and ideas on how to make improvements. Appoint a safety captain who will receive all the safety concerns from employees and communicate them to you for fast address. Open communication enables your staff to be in charge of their safety and be prepared whenever an issue arises.
Put up signs and labels
Labels and signs are an affordable and effective way of encouraging workplace safety. Put them up in areas where there is a potential danger to create awareness and make them visible with clear writing. Combine power words with images, not only to warn of potential hazards but inform them on the appropriate procedures.
Bottom Line
It is your responsibility as an employer to provide safety in your workplace and protect employees from potential injuries. Failure to do so will lead to lower productivity, high medical and legal fees, and workers’ compensation. Keep your team safe by encouraging breaks from work, open communication on safety concerns, and regular inspections.
Conduct training for all employees, give them additional support and put up signs and labels in areas of a potential hazard. Conversely, make your employees part of the solution regarding safety by establishing a workplace safety culture.
